


Sacrifices and Settling In

by Ninke_A



Series: Getting Together and Staying Together [4]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Difficult Decisions, First Dates, Insecure Lance (Voltron), M/M, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-22
Updated: 2017-07-22
Packaged: 2018-12-05 15:03:45
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,686
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11580510
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ninke_A/pseuds/Ninke_A
Summary: Lance makes his decision. He tries to be mature and do what would be best for him. Shiro and Keith have a few things to say about it





	Sacrifices and Settling In

**Author's Note:**

> I am sorry that this took a while, but I've been working on updating all my other stories and finishing up one of them. 
> 
> Thank you to everyone that left me a comment, kudo or took the time to read the others in this little series. I really appreciate it! 
> 
> Let me know what you all think!

Lance ended up spending that evening with Hunk and Pidge, the two keeping him far too distracted to worry about the upcoming interview the next day. Instead, they kept him busy with stories, plans for a group date, and Pidge had him in tears as she outlined everything she would do if she ever decided to take over the world. The best part was, Lance actually believed she could it. So Lance pushed the decision aside for now. He would worry about it tomorrow after the interview. Maybe, they wouldn’t like him, and he wouldn’t have to make the choice after all. 

 

*********

 

Lance actually enjoyed taking the bus. It gave him lots of time to think, which normally wasn’t a good thing but he needed the time today. Hunk and Pidge were busy and had told him to stay with Shiro and Keith that night. Lance had insisted that since he was leaving for home in two days and that there really wasn’t any point. He could go home. But Pidge had glared and Hunk looked sad and even sniffed at him so Lance caved. It wasn’t that he didn’t _ want  _ to spend time with them, he just.. had a lot on his mind. 

He ended up walking around for hours after the interview. They had liked him, and told Lance they would call him by the next morning to give him an answer. If he got it, then he would start the following Monday. He had even called his parents for advice. They had told him, that it was only temporary, and anyone could do anything if it was just for a while. He needed the money… but, he also wanted to stay with Shiro and Keith, as an equal, not as a burden on them. He knew that they had said he wouldn’t be, but Lance wasn’t stupid. They may not see him that way, but  _ Lance _ would and that honestly wasn’t any better. So it was settled. When he did receive the call, as he was rounding the corner near Shiro and Keith’s, Lance took the job. 

So Lance finally found himself standing at Keith and Shiro’s door at just after six that night. Honestly, he wasn’t even sure Keith would be home, but it was likely that Shiro was. The only schedule that Lance knew for certain was Hunk’s. Still he plastered on a smile and knocked on the door in in usually goofy way. 

It was Keith that opened the door, rolling his eyes before yanking Lance inside by the arm. Honestly. But Lance figured Hunk had probably called ahead so he just went with it. 

“Hello to you too, Mullet.” Lance snarked as he set his bag near the door. 

Keith frowned a little, and caught Lance’s arm again, pulling him close enough that their noses brushed. “Hello, Lance.” He pressed a short kiss to Lance’s mouth before abruptly letting go and turning to yell into the house. 

“Shiro! He’s here!” 

Shiro came out of the short hallway, shrugging into a jacket. “There you are. We’ve been waiting for you.” He leaned in and left his own kiss on Lance’s cheek before checking his pockets. 

Lance just stood there, mouth slightly open. He honestly hadn’t expected that kind of greeting, and it took him a second to catch up. “Uh.. waiting?”

Keith smirked, pulling on his own jacket. “Of course. We can’t exactly take you out if you aren’t here right?” 

“Take.. me out?” Lance felt ridiculous repeating everything they said, but he was having trouble comprehending everything. “But.. I just got here?”

Shiro laughed, and pulled Lance close with a arm around his shoulders. “Yes, and now, we are going to take you out to dinner and learn about what you did all day.” 

Lance blinked, but relaxed a little into Shiro’s arm as Keith leaned in close. “We’ve got things to tell you too.” 

 

*********

 

Shrio felt a little bad about taking advantage of Lance’s confusion to get them out of the house and into the restaurant that Shiro had picked out. But, then again, he had held Keith’s promise against him to ensure Shiro got that date as well..  Okay, maybe Shiro didn’t really feel  _ that _ bad about it. 

Ketih certainly didn’t. He’d spent the whole drive, leaning on Lance, and playing with his right hand. He’d been explaining to them about the plane he had been working on. Lance then mentioned that there was a small port that held biplanes and gliders near where he lived. His uncle had a plane there. 

Things stayed nice and normal right up until they were eating. Shiro had chosen his booth with care, one of those curved ones that generally held more than just three people and he was very pleased, sitting on one side of Lance while Keith was on the other. Shiro help an arm around Lance’s shoulders while Keith had claimed his hand. 

Finally, near the end of the meal, Shiro decided to make the offer that he and Keith had both agreed needed to be discussed today, before anything else happened. 

“Listen… We would like it if you stayed with us until you left.” Shiro stated quietly. “I know that, you aren’t sure if you are going to come back.. But, I.. no we would like it if you stayed with us..”

“Oh… That’s okay, Shiro… I mean.. I’m coming back.” Lance smiled, then looked back at his plate. “I’m going to start a job on Monday.” 

“See! I told you it would work out!” Keith exclaimed. He squeezed Lance’s hand. “What’s the job?” 

“Oh, I’m going to be collecting trash around the city. It’ll be in the really early mornings, but it’s a job so I can’t complain.” He took a bite, missing the horrified looks both Keith and Shiro had. “I even called my parents to see what they thought. I mean I was worried about it, it’s going to murder my hands, I know. But.. sometimes, you just have to know when to move on.” 

Shiro was staring at Lance, shocked. Lance was going to… No. Lance couldn’t give up his art. He glanced at Keith, who honestly looked floored, like he didn’t actually understand what Lance had said. 

“Lance.. But you won’t be able to work on your art. You’ll have to sleep in the afternoons and it’ll be hard for you to spend any time with anyone.” Shiro was trying to stay calm, but he really wanted to shout, shake the boy, tell him he didn’t have to do this. 

“I know.” Lance’s tone was somber, but he still smiled. “But, I will be able to move in a couple of months, have a little better place. I can still get Saturday and Sunday off, so I can see you all then. And..” He finally looked up, hesitating at the looks Shiro and Keith had. “I won’t have to leave you guys.. So… It’s worth it.” 

“Absolutely not!” Keith finally snapped out. He pulled Lance close, using their joined hands for leverage. “You can’t do that!”

Shiro watched as a spark seemed to ignite in Lance. Some of the old competitiveness returning. 

Lance wrenched his hand away, glaring for all he was worth. “Really? Because, newsflash Keith. Yes I can. I can do whatever I want to. If I want to give up on some pipe dream and finally, finally try and make myself better, that’s my choice.” 

Shiro pulled Lance a little closer, frowning at Keith. “Lance.. That isn’t what Keith meant.” 

Keith was glaring right back. “Your art isn’t some pipe dream! It’s beautiful and you shouldn’t give up on it to pick up trash!” 

Shiro sighed, he knew the second Lance pulled away to get into Keith’s face that this was not going to end well. 

Oddly though, instead of yelling, Lance spoke low and harshly. “If you think I would give up my art, the one thing I have cared about all my life just for a job then you are an idiot and you really don’t know a damn thing about me.” He shoved Keith back into the booth and worked his way out. “I wouldn’t give it up for anything less than something I loved just as much if not more.”

Lance’s fists were curled tightly and his tone was cool as he spoke to Shiro. “Thanks but I’ll pay for my own share. I’m going home.” He stalked toward the exit. 

Shiro and Keith both scrambled to get up themselves, but then the implication hit. Something Lance loved as much or more than his art. Pidge telling them just how long Lance had had feelings for them. He was going to take this job, for them. So he could stay in the city, and not have to move across the country, back to his family. He was willing to give all that up, for them. 

Keith’s face went pale, and he took a step only for Shiro to grab his arm. 

“No, Keith.” 

“Shiro. I just messed up, badly. I am not letting him leave without fixing it.” He jerked his hand away and dashed out of the restaurant. 

Shiro sighed, and made his way over to pay. It looked like this date did not work out like he had wanted. 

 

*********   
  


Keith pushed past people, eyes fixed on a head of brown hair, that was moving steadily away from the restaurant. Lance used to tell him that he could spot Keith anywhere, but what Lance never knew is that Keith made sure that he was able to do the same. He just never knew he would be using it to keep Lance from leaving.

Keith skirted around a couple and finally, a clear shot to Lance. Keith took it, launching himself forward and wrapping his arms tightly around Lance’s waist. He felt Lance stumble, and catch himself. Felt the tension in his frame and squeezed just a fraction tighter. 

He found himself repeating two words over and over. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry.” 

“Let me go.” Lance’s hand started trying to work Keith’s apart but Keith had always been just a little bit stronger than Lance, so he curled them more into Lance’s jacket. 

“Don’t go.” It was hard, always had been, to say what he meant, unless he was angry. Keith never had a problem with words then. But this, he needed to say anything he could to keep Lance there. “Please, I’m sorry. You’re right, you’d never just give up like that. Please, don’t go.” 

“Let me go.” Lance jerked away, breaking Keith’s hold and spinning to face him. “You think I want to do this? Did you really think that I want to spend my days picking up trash? That I’m so flighty I’ll just drop something I worked hard at just for a solid paycheck? Screw that, screw this, and screw you too, Keith.” 

Keith didn’t care that people were pausing to stare, he didn’t care that Shiro wasn’t there yet. All Keith cared about was that Lance was ready to walk away, again. He caught Lance’s wrist, pulling him back. 

“Keith. Lance.” There was Shiro, pulling them to the side, a hand one both their arms. 

“Let me go.” Lance repeated again. 

“I can’t.” That was the most honest statement Keith had ever made. It got Lance to stop struggling, even if it was just for a tick, even Shiro looked down at him. 

“I can’t let you go. Even if you hated me, I would still want you around.” 

“Listen Lance.” Shiro raised a hand, turning Lance’s face toward him. “We don’t want you to give up anything for us. We don’t need anything more than you. We were just surprised and you know how Keith handles surprises. I didn’t react very well either.” 

Lance turned his face away, staring hard down the street. 

“Lance. Please, come on, look at me.” Shiro’s voice was low and patient, coaxing Lance into looking at them. Keith have never wanted that skill before, be he would happily maim for it now, if it would keep Lance there. 

“There we are. Listen, now. Please, don’t take the job. You don’t have to, not for us. We are not going anywhere. I don’t care if you never work again, I am not going anywhere. Keith isn’t going anywhere.” 

Now or never, Kogane, get your shit together and do this right. “I’m going home with Lance.” 

Lance gaped at him, attention fully on Keith. “What? No, you have work!” 

“I don’t care. I took vacation time” Keith pressed forward a little. “I’m sorry, Lance. I know you would just give up on your art so easily. I was just angry. I don’t want you to give it up. Not for us, not for Hunk and Pidge, not for anything.” 

Lance still looked angry, and he held it for a minute more before he deflated, going almost limp in Shiro’s grip. “I don’t want to be a burden. Even if you don’t think I am. I would think so. I just want to be worthy of you.” 

 

*********

 

Shiro could feel Keith’s eyes on him, but he couldn’t look at him now. He had to focus on Lance. He would soothe Keith later, after they were all home. “You are, that’s what you don’t see. You don’t need a job, or anything to be worthy of us. If anything, we’re not worthy of you.”

Lance’s head snapped to face Shiro so fast that for a moment Shiro worried he had hurt himself. 

“That’s.. The dumbest thing you have ever said Shiro.” 

“Not really. Look, Keith is bad at words, he’ll make you mad more than he will ever be romantic. He won’t bring you flowers, or woo you like you deserve. I’m kind of the same. I will forget anniversaries, birthdays. I’ll get busy, and brush you off, which you will never deserve. We’re not really open people, Lance. But..” He finally glanced at Keith, who looked like he was holding his breath. 

“But, no one will ever, ever love you like we do. Just like no one else would ever be able to forgive us for all those things and love us anyway, like you do. That’s why you don’t need to do anything to be worthy. You already are.” Shir brought both hands up to cup Lance’s face. 

“But..”

“Lance, if you stay with us, then we’ll be happy.” Keith offered quietly. “We’ll do what we can to make you happy too. We’ll fight, and argue, and we’ll spend hours cooling off and forgiving, but we won’t ever leave.”

“Let Keith go home with you. Let him make it up to you. Call me every night, and we’ll talk just the two of us.” Shiro absently stroked Lance’s cheek with his fingers. “We’ll talk it over, all of us, figure out what you need, so you don’t feel like a burden. We’ll tell you what we need, so that we don’t feel like you are throwing everything away just for us. We can’t handle that anymore than you can handle being a burden, even if you aren’t one. Do you understand?” 

Shiro would never admit to anyone, not even Keith, that he held his own breath while he waited for Lance’s answer. 

Lance chewed on the inside of his cheek, then sighed. “Yeah, that’s fair.. I’m still mad at you through, Mullet.” 

Shiro had never seen Keith smile so widely after being called that nickname. But, Keith had always let Lance get away with a lot more than he would ever take from anyone else. Honestly, how could this man not see how much they adored him? 

“I’ll make it up to you.” Keith vowed, looking somber. “I know just how to start. Let go home, pile on the couch and we can watch every single episode of that silly murder show you love so much. I won’t even complain.” 

That brought a small smile to Lance’s face, and Shiro had to agree. If it kept that smile there, he wouldn’t complain either. 


End file.
